UAMS sets health fair in Rison
The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute will host a public health fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 30 at Pioneer Village in Rison.
Organized by the Cancer Institute’s Community Outreach and Engagement Office and Cleveland County community partners, the free event will feature more than 40 local health and wellness organizations providing resources, education and services, according to a news release.
Attendees can take advantage of: Free flu shots; dental, blood pressure and blood sugar screenings; colorectal cancer screening kits; cancer prevention and awareness resources; chair yoga demonstrations; cancer patient navigation; nutrition and fitness tips; general health and wellness information; and smoothie samples.
In addition to health-focused activities, visitors can explore information on healthy aging, substance misuse prevention, homeownership and financial wellness.
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“The Cleveland County Health Fair brings together trusted community partners to make preventive care and wellness resources more accessible to local residents,” said Shalanda Caradine, executive director of Community Outreach and Engagement for the UAMS Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute. “We want to empower individuals and families to take steps toward healthier lives and cancer prevention.”
The event is supported by the UAMS Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging’s South Central Center on Aging; UAMS Research and Evaluation; Arkansas Department of Health Cleveland County Unit; Hospice Homecare; BLW Property Group; S.E.A.T.; Community Empowerment Council — Region 4 PFS; Rison Pharmacy; Daily Dose Pharmacy; PrimeCare Insurance Advisors, LLC; Arkansas Prostate Cancer Foundation; Cleveland County Farm Bureau; FBT Bank; Gateway Bank; CEC Inc., Region 12; Monticello Branch Library; Mainline Health System Inc.; Rison Serenity Wellness Spa and Reneo Chiropractic.
Course set on nutrition for small farms
Healthy crops start with healthy soil, and a short course hosted by the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food will offer insights into crop nutrition for small farms.
The advanced course will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sept. 16-17, with lunch included, at the CAFF Farm in Fayetteville, according to the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The cost to attend is $30. The deadline to register is Sept. 13 and registration is available at https://uada.formstack.com/forms/farmer_classes_small_farm
Instructors will include Ryan Neal, Benton County extension agent, and Colin Massey, Washington County extension agent; Cameron Frangenburg of Cobblestone Farms; Jeremy Baranauskas of Prairie Woods Farm; Matt Bertucci, assistant professor-horticulture for the Division of Agriculture; and staff at CAFF. The Cooperative Extension Services is the outreach arm of the Division of Agriculture.
Neal will be covering financial considerations for nitrogen credits from cover cropping and foliar nutrient sampling and analysis.
“At extension, we promote soil sampling as a way to determine what nutrients are in the soil, these are additional tools a farmer can have in their toolbox to determine what is available to the crop and what actually makes it into the plant,” he said.
Massey said his talk will be on soil sampling equipment, how to properly sample and submit for analysis.
“We will also be reviewing soil analysis from several field blocks that we sampled last week and walking through interpreting the results and making management decisions based on those results and recommendations,” Massey said.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.